Recently, upon purchasing some spices from a local shop, Shikha Dubey was pleasantly surprised when she received additional food items — milk powder, a mix of dry fruits, and tea blends — all free of charge.

She soon learnt that such offers and gifts are specifically being provided to parents with only daughters!

All her life, the 40-year-old had been taunted for having birthed only a daughter. “Within my family, there were often comments about how having a son would have been more beneficial for us. However, I never felt the need for a son; my daughter is my entire world,” she tells The Better India.

“She cares for me in ways I believe a son might not. Despite my family’s wishes for a son, my daughter is proving them all wrong with her dedication and love. She is currently attending college in Indore, and now those same people who once believed a son was necessary are beginning to see just how capable a daughter can be. I take immense pride in being a parent to my daughter,” she says with a proud smile.

Shikha hails from the Eimarni tehsil of MP’s Harda district, where recently, former District Collector Aditya Singh, IAS, identified families with only daughters and awarded them Kirti Cards — symbols of honour that came with tangible benefits. (Kirti means honour or glory in Hindi, a name chosen to symbolise the dignity and pride in raising daughters.)

The initiative is designed to celebrate and incentivise families with only female children, inverting traditional biases and fostering a culture of equality.

Rich in corps, poor in equality?

Nestled along the lush banks of the Narmada River, Harda district in Madhya Pradesh pulses with life and prosperity. Often referred to as the ‘Punjab of Madhya Pradesh’, this vibrant region boasts sprawling fields of wheat and soybeans that paint the landscape in hues of green and gold.

However, beneath this prosperous surface lies an unsettling imbalance — a skewed sex ratio, lingering malnutrition, and health challenges that belie the district’s economic success.

When Aditya Singh, a 2014 batch IAS officer, took charge as the District Collector last year, he knew the numbers told a........

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